I liked this part of the story and all the new information revealed and problems that developed. It was more romance (totally clean) than fantasy whenI liked this part of the story and all the new information revealed and problems that developed. It was more romance (totally clean) than fantasy when compared to the first book, which was good and bad. Sometimes it was nice to see that aspect of the relationship developing and at other times I felt like I was just biding time while waiting for something interesting or exciting to happen. I have a feeling that the 3rd (and final) book will pick up the pace again.

**spoiler alert** I was looking forward to picking up right where FAERY REBELS: SPELLHUNTER (aka: KNIFE in the UK) left off with Knife being turned hu**spoiler alert** I was looking forward to picking up right where FAERY REBELS: SPELLHUNTER (aka: KNIFE in the UK) left off with Knife being turned human and going home with Paul. I was initially disappointed when the story starts 14 years later and no mention of Knife or Paul, but instead focuses on Knife's foster daughter, Linden, and a boy named Timothy. HOWEVER, I was pleasantly surprised a few chapters into the story that Paul is Timothy's uncle and he is living at the cottage by the Oak with his wife Peri (aka: Knife whose full faery name is Perianth). It was another chapter or two that I was truly intrigued by Linden & Timothy's story rather than being disappointed the story wasn't about the previous main characters.

The Oak is still in danger as what little magic is left to the faeries there is fading. Linden is charged with finding help for the faeries of the Oak and gets Timothy roped into her quest both unwillingly and willingly.

There are some great new characters added to the story in this book and some startling discoveries about the faeries in this world. After starting a little slow (for me), the action of the story got really interesting at the end and again I am left wondering what's going to happen in the next part of the story.

I know there is at least 1 more book in this series but I'm not sure if more books are planned beyond that....more

This story is PERFECT for fans of Julie Berry, Jessica Day George and Shannon Hale . . . and in my opinion, it's hard to compete with those ladies wheThis story is PERFECT for fans of Julie Berry, Jessica Day George and Shannon Hale . . . and in my opinion, it's hard to compete with those ladies when it comes to really awesome fairy tales! Seriously, this one belongs in that group! This story is probably the closest to my favorite Shannon Hale stories of any book I've read -- and that's just about the best endorsement I can give a book!

I was interested in this story when I first heard about it, but was completely surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I had a hard time putting it down once I got started. I loved the characters, the setting, the story ... especially the story! It never stopped. There was always something happening and moving, always something new going on or being discovered....more

I heard about this author and this book at a writing conference last summer. If I remember correctly, the editor said that this is one of the only un-I heard about this author and this book at a writing conference last summer. If I remember correctly, the editor said that this is one of the only un-agented books they have ever bought. The author had previously sent in a MS that they liked but couldn't quite buy, but asked the author to send more work in the future. This was the next MS the author sent, and the editor couldn't read it fast enough and then call the author to find out if it was still available to buy.

Once I was able to finally sit and read this book (I seemed to keep having other things to do first that didn't leave time for reading) I thought the story was great! MISTWOOD is a fantasy that is recommended for fans of Kristin Cashore, Tamora Pierce and Megan Whalan Turner. I've only read Cashore's books, but know a little about the other authors and think that this is a pretty good comparison in terms of what to expect from the story. I thought that MISTWOOD was very well plotted as the mystery from the first page is slowly uncovered on all the rest of the pages to the end of the book. My understanding is that this the first book of 3. This book ends well for the main issue of this part of the story, while still leaving the door open for more to come (rather than being just the first 1/3 of 1 story and having an unsettled cliffhanger ending).

There are 4 front/back blank pages at the end of my copy of the book, so I'm wondering if there will be something added to the end in the final copy of the book? Hmmm. I guess I'll have to buy a copy to find out.

SECOND READ: 2/21/11 - 2/22/11Listened to the audiobook before starting the next book, VANISH. I still really enjoyed the story the second time aroundSECOND READ: 2/21/11 - 2/22/11Listened to the audiobook before starting the next book, VANISH. I still really enjoyed the story the second time around. Excited to listen to book 2 to find out what happens next!

FIRST READ: 2/21/11 - 2/22/11LOVED this book!! It's about DRAGONS which had me a little skeptical at first, but it totally worked. I was convinced and hooked by the 4th chapter. The end was really awesome with all the new info that is revealed and dying to know what's going to happen NEXT! Because yes, this is a series. But it's really good. Can't wait for Book 2!

I guess the Iron Fey series was supposed to end with #3, THE IRON QUEEN and the main part of the story really does have a conclusion of sorts with theI guess the Iron Fey series was supposed to end with #3, THE IRON QUEEN and the main part of the story really does have a conclusion of sorts with the end of that book. THE IRON KNIGHT is from Ash's point-of-view. He is on a quest to find a way to be with Meghan, since as Winter Fey he cannot survive in the Iron Kingdom. If you read SUMMER'S CROSSING (the e-book that takes place between books 3 & 4) then you know what exactly Ash is searching for as the solution to his problem. Does he understand what that solution really means? Would he still want it if he did?

If you have been following the series to this point, I think you won't be disappointed in this last part of the story. There are some surprises in this story that I thought worked really well for the story. It was neat to see the story through Ash's eyes....more

I've been told that this series gets a lot better around book 3 and I agree. Half-way through this book I finally was invested in the story and the chI've been told that this series gets a lot better around book 3 and I agree. Half-way through this book I finally was invested in the story and the characters. Until then I had been skipping most of the "story" and only focusing on the parts that were more character-driven. I love reading about the relationships in this book (not just the romantic ones) and until now it had seemed that the "story" part and the "character" part weren't connected, even though I know that doesn't make any sense. ...more

A great story for Jane Austen junkies (like myself) who have ever secretly (or not so secretly) wished for a "vacation" in Regency England! It was a lA great story for Jane Austen junkies (like myself) who have ever secretly (or not so secretly) wished for a "vacation" in Regency England! It was a lot of fun to read!...more

I'm glad I waited to start this series until they were all out because this one ended mid- conversation!!

I'm not big on ghost stories so I almost didI'm glad I waited to start this series until they were all out because this one ended mid- conversation!!

I'm not big on ghost stories so I almost didn't keep listening when the start was kind of creepy. I liked the rest of the story and the characters and can't wait to start the next book. Even though this isn't a zombie story, I'd recommend it to my friends that like those kinds of stories....more

SECOND READ: July 2011Listening to the Full Cast Audiobook. I forgot how much I loved this story! Bertie is great, Nate is even swoonier, Ariel is quiSECOND READ: July 2011Listening to the Full Cast Audiobook. I forgot how much I loved this story! Bertie is great, Nate is even swoonier, Ariel is quietly scary, and the fairies are upstaging them all!!

LOVED the story the second time around! Can't wait to dive into the next books! Those fairies are just fantastic! So many great one-liners that have me cracking up!

FIRST READ: March 2009This is more like 4 1/2 stars ...

When Bertie is told she must leave the theare, she makes a deal with the Theatre Manager that if she can find a way to prove herself an invaluable asset before the day is out, then she can stay. Inevitably as Bertie tries to execute her plan, stronger forces are at work that threaten to destroy her beloved theatre and all her friends that are bound to it.

A really different, intriguing and funny story about a girl named Bertie who literally lives on the stage of a theatre and whose friends are all the characters from all the plays ever written. Her closest friends are the fairies from A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (and they really are absolutely hilarious!), a pirate named Nate from THE LITTLE MERMAID, and the wardrobe mistress. Other characters that make a significant appearance in the story are Ariel from THE TEMPEST, and Ophelia from HAMLET.

The story is told in the traditional way but is also interspersed with scenes that read like a script from a play. It is really fun this way, and brings back strong memories for me of being on the stage in high school.

This is the first book in a series of 3. It took me a couple of chapters to figure out what was going on, but after that I had a hard time putting it down. I'm very excited to read the next installment in the series! ...more

3.5 stars. The last few CDs got significantly better for me and the ending was good and definitely makes me want to read the next books.

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High3.5 stars. The last few CDs got significantly better for me and the ending was good and definitely makes me want to read the next books.

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Highly recommended by my brother ... I'm interested by the high ratings (avg 4.45 stars) and good reviews on Goodreads. The bummer is that this is just the first book and the MS for the 2nd book has only just been submitted to the publisher. :( But with such good feedback I think it's worth giving it a shot right now and waiting for the rest of the books to come out....more

This is almost a solid 5 .... depending on how the whole series ends up, I may be tempted to bump it up after re-reading.

I loved the characters in thiThis is almost a solid 5 .... depending on how the whole series ends up, I may be tempted to bump it up after re-reading.

I loved the characters in this story! Nick and Alan are awesome!! I loved how much I hated Nick and yet still loved him for his devotion to Alan. And Alan? Wow. I don't know what without spoiling anything. Mae and Jamie may be "secondary" characters, and Mae could be simply categorized as the "love interest" of the story, but they stand on their own as well and Nick and Alan -- as characters and with their own stories and secrets. I especially love Mae and her strength and dedication to Jamie.

The story starts out a bit slow ... not as in boring, but as in building everything so that once you are hooked you can't stop reading. You are dropped right in the middle of their world and situation, so there is a lot to catch up on. I loved the intricacies of the plot and all the twists and turns. This story had me thinking the entire time I was reading but I was never sure if I had anything right. Even stuff that I guessed right (a big surprise for me!) I wasn't sure if I was right until the end. And even then there were surprises in the revelation that I didn't expect.

This is the first book in a trilogy and I can't wait to get my hands on the next part of the story! DEMON'S COVENANT will be released Summer 2010 and the final book will follow in 2011....more

10/15/10Re-reading in preparation for #2 BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS. I feel like I can't remember anything from my first go round!

I loved this story again an10/15/10Re-reading in preparation for #2 BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS. I feel like I can't remember anything from my first go round!

I loved this story again and can't wait to get my hands on the next book ... it's in transit to my library as I write! Yay! I love the atmosphere and the characters.

8/21/09This could have been 5 stars except that it was too long in places.

Now, don't me wrong -- I love a long book. This one is over 600 pages! It has lots of room for developing characters and the story. But I wasn't hooked to the story until around Page 200. The information in the first 200 pages was interesting and definitely important to the story, but I could easily put the book down and had no clue as to what the big problem of the story would be or even anything that remotely hinted at it ... at least hints that were strong enough, anyway. And even after the action picked up, there were still small parts that dragged a little, even during the ending.

But I loved everything else about the story. Especially the world of magic, the things/people/places that protected the characters or were fighting against them.

I don't know for sure, but I'm betting there is at least a sequel to this story and I am excited to know what happens next!...more

SECOND READ: 1/30/12-2/1/11I bought the next book but need a refresher before diving in. Plus apparently there are 6 "deleted scenes" posted on the auSECOND READ: 1/30/12-2/1/11I bought the next book but need a refresher before diving in. Plus apparently there are 6 "deleted scenes" posted on the authot website that I need to read too!

FIRST READ: 5/4-6/11The reader for the audiobook is JENNIFER EHLE!! (aka: Elizabeth Bennett opposite Colin Firth) She did a good job with all the accents, even the American ones. I kept trying to hear Elizabeth's "voice" while she read, but I couldn't hear it.

I would not recommend the audiobook version of this book unless the alternative is not to read it at all. Can't wait for the next book ... things haveI would not recommend the audiobook version of this book unless the alternative is not to read it at all. Can't wait for the next book ... things have definitely gotten interesting and messy! Poor Jace ......more

I really liked this book. The premise is that a lawyer in Chicago is browsing a department store Christmas wishbook (of very exclusive one-of-a kind iI really liked this book. The premise is that a lawyer in Chicago is browsing a department store Christmas wishbook (of very exclusive one-of-a kind items for the rich) and comes across an ad for a magic kingdom for sale. He buys it and ends up the king of the magic kingdom. I think the author did a really good job with the main character - Ben Holiday - I really understood him, why he was intrigued by the ad, why he finally bought the magic kingdom, why he stayed on, why he did the things he did. The story should have felt really hokey going from a Chicago lawyer big shot to king in a magic world, but it didn't - at least to me. I mean, it's a fantasy, so there are some fantastical things that happen, but it's real within the world of the magic kingdom and Ben's reactions to those things felt very real and normal. I guess there are 4 more books in this series (yay! A series that is finished!) so I need to go get the rest....more

This started out as a 3, quickly dropped to a 2 (when I totally guessed the major points of the climax and almost stopped reading) and then ended on aThis started out as a 3, quickly dropped to a 2 (when I totally guessed the major points of the climax and almost stopped reading) and then ended on a 4.

I really liked the last 100 pages or so of this book and I'm interested to see where the story goes next. I know there is a sequel, but beyond that I'm not sure how many more books are in the series.

I think my biggest annoyance with the book were how much of it was "setting up" the series. Yes it was information I needed to know, I just wasn't that interested in it while I was getting it. But once we get solidly entrenched in the paranormal/fantasy element of this world, I was very intrigued and wanted the story to keep going. So I think I'll like the next book much more now that the world is built and the history has been revealed (or at least partially)....more

SECOND READ: 10/29/14 - 11/4/14Just as magical the second time around. Loved the audiobook version.

FIRST READ: 7/7/09

On the front of the book (on my cSECOND READ: 10/29/14 - 11/4/14Just as magical the second time around. Loved the audiobook version.

FIRST READ: 7/7/09

On the front of the book (on my copy, at least) and underneath the title it says, "A Retelling of the story of Beauty & the Beast". To me, a retelling is either the telling of the "true" events from which the fairy tale/legend originates or is a twist on the fairy tale we all know and love (such as from a different character's point of view).

BEAUTY is neither ... to me, it is just a TELLING of the story. This IS the story of Beauty and the Beast with all of the magic and mystery that a fairy tale should have. And it was ENCHANTING! When I was reading this book, I felt like I was IN a fairy tale. Which might sound kind of odd when I think of all the fairy tales or retellings I have read lately ... because those stories didn't have the same feel as this one. You know at the beginning of the Disney version of B&B with the magical music playing? That's what I felt like while reading this. It was interesting to see how closely it mirrored the Disney movie version and the traditional version of B&B that I am familiar with. And yet because I didn't know how the story was going to unfold, I was very interested to see what would happen next. It did take a chapter to really get into the story (the chapters are pretty long), but after that I was hooked. This is one of the very few YA books that were actually around when I was a teen .... how come I never came across it?...more